It’s been so long since we’ve been to a show, we forget that other things can cause problems. No, not COVID, but run-of-the-mill issues such as, like, rain. Such was the case when We Are Scientists attempted to return to the stage at Elsewhere Rooftop in Brooklyn on Tuesday, August 10th.
This would have been the New York band’s first in-person concert since the pandemic, a warm-up gig for their upcoming European tour, and a preview of October’s Huffy. It was set to be on the Rooftop space of Elsewhere (QRO venue review), where Rebounder had played the night before (QRO photos). And checking the weather app in the afternoon, was to be clear skies, with only a heat advisory to worry about (and that’s global warming, which we’re totally going to get on top of, right after dealing with COVID, totally…).
But rain it did, starting that evening and only giving up after the band had given up the Rooftop. But it was such a close thing that many people came, and were sent to the regular indoor space – as did We Are Scientists. Apparently that space hasn’t been prepped for events yet, because Chris Cain, Keith Carne, and Keith Murray came out unplugged, with only an acoustic guitar for Murray and a snare drum on Carne’s lap (but sunglasses for all three, because they’re that cool). Indeed, even the railing barrier on the stage, suited for DJ events, hadn’t been taken down (as is very clear in the best photos that your out-of-practice correspondent could get…).
Note that this was not a replacement for the rooftop show, as it was officially canceled & rescheduled for September 20th, all tickets honored. But there were enough people, pent-up demand to go out & see a show, that they were brought indoors and the band played about a half-hour of songs (encore included). They joked about whether or not the audience should sing along, calling on best judgement, but to make a choice and stick to it. They did some of their classics like “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt” and “After Hours”, but also worked in some new Huffy material. It would have been questionable if the audience could have sung along, but they’ve put out singles such as “Contact High” (QRO review) and “Handshake Agreement” (QRO review), and the kind of folks who still came out had heard the new singles – helped by their excellent & hilarious videos.
As at any We Are Scientists shows, there was some great stage banter between Cain & Murray (QRO interview with Cain & Murray earlier this year), though the acoustic nature meant they were hard to hear. Cain did threaten to play “Wonderwall” when he briefly held Murray’s guitar when the latter left the stage. And there was Cain’s mock-angry “Cat’s outta the bag!” when Murray announced the September make-up.
Hopefully, Delta variant and anti-vaxxers notwithstanding, we will still be having concerts next month, that our fall plans won’t get smashed like all those Twitter memes are saying. And that it won’t pour rain in Brooklyn on the evening of September 20th.
